Watch Well Games: Issue #27
I offer you Watch Well Games' own version of Free RPG Day.
Welcome to our RPG community newsletter!
Happy midsummer (Glad midsommar) to all of you who celebrate.
Here’s What We Have for You Today:
Free RPG Day - Not everyone has access to a friendly local game store. We have a few options for you.
Did you grab up a new dice bag yet using that special discount code? If not, now’s a great time.
ALSO: My friend Warren Davidson (Wazza) returns to share GM tricks, tips, and (gasp!) fibs.
I’m K.J. If you’d like to learn more about me, click that lil’ green button below.
I’m (Still) on Hiatus - However…
My two series (Accounts of Adventure and “Make a game with me”) will return soon.
I mentioned last week that I would have some exciting news to share once I post the next part in those series. Today, though, I have a few things since the timing is just right.
The background: Saturday is Free RPG Day.
The dilemma: Not all folks have access to a friendly local game store, and if you’re like me, your FLGS told you that the cost of the Free RPG Day packs were three times the price for half as much content so they’re not taking part at all. Enter… the sad pug face:
Possible solutions: I wanted to give folks a chance to play games this weekend regardless of those factors.
Both of my solo RPG pocket games - Conscience of a Con and EXIT STRATEGY: Solo Edition are will be for free on DriveThruRPG this Saturday, June 22nd.
NOTE: DriveThruRPG controls when sales actually start and end, so if you try to enter the code too early or too late, you’ll miss out.
Conclusion: I’m an indie game creator just starting out, and this is my way of paying it forward to help build a positive community around RPGs.
I truly hope you’ll enjoy playing these two lil’ solo games. (If you do, please leave a kind review on DTRPG.)
Think your friends might like these games also? Share this substack with them:
But wait! There’s more!
While we wait for Schlau of Light in Darkness Gaming to open his Patreon for all things cartography, he has free content of his own he’d like to offer for Watch Well Games’ own version of Free RPG Day.
The Morning Mace: This classic sword and sorcery fantasy adventure is a one-shot designed for a GM and up to four players. It’s beginner-friendly for both new GMs and players alike.
The kingdom of Moorehaven teeters on the brink of civil war. A powerful artifact, the Morning Mace, has been stolen. It is being transported to the throne’s potential usurper, by an infamous pirate. The only chance to retrieve the Morning Mace is to board the pirate’s ship, the Hell’s Hold, acting as new pirate recruits and steal it back.
Includes:
• Rules (Reader-friendly font)
• Descriptions of the system and the adventure
• Maps of the Hell's Hold (4 levels) with descriptions
• Artwork (No AI)
• Four pre-gen characters
• Multiple avenues for success
Light in Darkness Gaming Patreon coming soon!
15% Off Dice & Hobby Bags from Beverleyinstitches
In about 2-3 weeks, I will post a video review of my own dicebag from Beverleyinstitches - a special Etsy store (a Star Seller with outstanding reviews).
It’s pink with dragons on it. I’m excited!
You too can enjoy an exclusive discount of 15% off your own dice bag. Just use the code WATCHWELL15 when placing your order.
Beverley has new dice bags getting ready to post on the shop, so follow her on Etsy to get notifications.
Don’t see one that quite fits your taste? Make a custom request!
If there’s a certain style, fabric, pattern, or design you’d prefer, use the contact form on Beverley’s Etsy shop to begin a conversation on the possibilities.
Wazza’s Whimsical Wanderings Part Three - Tricks, Tips, and Fibs
by guest writer Warren Davidson
At the beginning of most Game Master books and in the Game Master section in role-playing core books are a sentence or two which usually goes along these lines: “All the rules in this book are guidelines only, please feel free to change any and all to suit your game.” This is the most important section of that book as you are being reminded that’s it only a game and to have fun. Sure, rules and structure are important but not to the game’s detriment. Believe me your players won’t care if you miss a specific ruling as long as they’re having a good time. Make up a ruling on the spot and discuss it afterwards. The story is the most important thing and you and your players immersion in it. So, what follows are some tricks and tips (and yes, some fibs) I’ve picked up over the years. Call them “advanced techniques” and “GM cheats” to make your game smoother.
This may sound strange but before every game I repeat a little mantra or positive affirmation to myself. It goes along these lines: “I am running an incredibly entertaining session of (insert game) on my friends this coming (date of game). Which is full of action, interaction, humour and above all fun”. Why?
Because I firmly believe that your mindset is crucial to running a game.
It’s like preparing for a presentation or public speaking. You may be with your friends but it’s still a nerve-wracking experience, doubts inevitably creep in before the game.
Am I prepared?
What if my group doesn’t like the adventure?
How do I include everyone in the game?
What If I forget an important rule?
They are all justifiable concerns, and it means you’re taking your game-mastering responsibilities seriously, which is great.
You want this to be a great game which your friends will talk about for years afterwards right?
Guess what, every GM had these concerns, and a positive affirmation can really help. Do it in private and forget about feeling foolish.
Establish a tone for your campaign early on E.g. horror, gritty, humorous, mystical, etc., so the players know what to expect. Allow player input in case there are any aspects they may find uncomfortable. Run each session as a play with three acts, so a beginning, a middle and an end. Most game sessions run 3-4 hours give or take so it’s easy to allocate time to each act (from an hour to an hour and a quarter respectively). This way your session will have more structure.
At the start of the session briefly review with your players what they did last time. This really helps gel things in everyone’s minds, especially if they’ve had a busy week. If you’re planning to run vehicle combat or a chase scene or an underwater scene, make sure you read up on the relevant game rules beforehand. Ask if one of your players would like to keep a journal on the campaign. Not only does it help cement the world in your players mind, but it’s also a great visual reminder of the current situation and a permanent reminder of the fun you’ve all had.
Ask players what they want out of the game then introduce those elements gradually. Start small and incorporate world elements slowly so as not to overwhelm your players. Have a recurring nemesis who always escapes or survives somehow to only return to haunt them at the worst possible time. Villains are a great source of role-playing, and when they’re finally defeated a great occasion for celebration. Maybe have them form a temporary alliance with the PCs to overcome a shared threat and learn more about their backstory to engender sympathy. Of course, they’ll betray them once the current crisis is over.
If you have a great idea which you think will improve the game and your players enjoyment, then implement it as soon as soon rather than procrastinate. If you don’t then you’re liable to give into self-doubt. Try not to over analyse your ideas. Run with them and you’ll be surprised what can happen.
As the great writer Raymond Chandler once said: “In writing a novel, when in doubt, have two guys come through the door with guns.”
This works in role-playing games too. If things are slow and your players seem bored then have two bad guys turn up and attack them with guns, swords or spells as appropriate. Don’t worry about their motives, your players will voice plenty of opinions which you can write down and expand upon later. Oh, and take notes during the game. If you don’t, then you’ll forget - believe me.
Don’t let your NPCs overshadow the players actions, rather have them offer advice. They should never take centre stage and steal the PCs thunder. Sure, it’s tempting during your Call of Cthulhu game for your players to ask the police to deal with the cultists. But would they believe them? Can’t the Baron send some experienced adventurers to deal with the monsters? Well, he just did, your PCs.
Nothing is more off-putting than having some super-powered NPC run the show.
Have them remain in the background as advisers and mentors, your players will thank you for it.
Here’s a golden rule: Don’t capture the PCs and take away their weapons. Nothing is more annoying than having some deux-ex machina plot device scupper your PCs plans. Sure, if they blunder in and become surrounded then have them surrender. But most players would rather their characters die fighting than be captured. And it’s a great way to go out. They’ll certainly remember that event and it’s their choice rather than the plots.
Combat is fun but can drag on unnecessarily especially with the crunchier rules systems.
My rule, try to limit combats to three rounds max.
After that they’re just going through the motions. Most sane people will flee to live another day rather than fight to the death. Have NPCs surrender and provide the PCs with hints of what they can expect later. Three rounds keep your action-oriented players happy whilst avoiding the role-players and riddle-solvers from becoming bored. Of course, if they’re fighting the end of session big bad boss then allow combat to play out as it’s meant to be climatic.
When players come up with outlandish solutions to problems roll with it by saying “yes, but” rather than a flat-out “no’. Then assign a difficulty modifier to the proposed action.
Common sense will determine if an action is clearly impossible such as leaping a 50’ ravine or lifting a 5-tonne truck unless they’re superheroes of course!
OK that’s plenty of advice for now. As with all things you’ll improve as you go, and these suggestions and others of your own devising will occur naturally. The more you do something the better you become. And remember to have fun too. That’s important! Next time I’ll be covering my thoughts on the application of technology in role-playing games, including virtual tabletops, music and handouts. See you then.
That’s all for this week, folks. Remember:
Support indie game creators by purchasing, playing, and positively reviewing the games (assuming you enjoyed them!).
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Baby alpacas are called crias.
Tips appreciated.
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Alpacas are a very interesting creature. They have many different sounds they communicate with!